From tribute to Aretha Franklin to single-star turns, Grammys brings together generations and styles

With its 53rd edition Sunday night, the Grammy Awards slammed home its major purpose from the first minutes.

The past and the present can comfortably share the big stage at the Staples Center.

Country music stars can sing with soul queens.

The 60s can melt smoothly into the 2010s.

The night started with a tribute to Aretha Franklin, at home in Detroit recovering from an illness. Video clips revealed Franklin over the years, ever changing in appearance but steadfastly wonderful of voice.

My mind added a personal clip to that one, when Franklin gloriously and joyfully closed the 25th edition of the Syracuse Jazz Fest in June 2007 at Onondaga Community College. Some 40,000 folks who saw that great set probably set up a little straighter watching the Grammys.

They were not to be disappointed by the five-strong line of stars paying tribute to the woman who’s won 18 Grammys – “so far,” as presenter LL Cool J said, reminding all that more great music could still come.

Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Florence Welch, Martina McBride and Yolanda Adams all took a turn with the great songs of Franklin, performing “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman,” “Ain’t No Way,” “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do),” “Think,” “Respect” and “Spirit in the Dark” with love and five great sets of pipes.

Then Franklin came on via tape, looking thinner, on the mend and dressed glamorously.
“I wish I could be there with you tonight,” she said in her thank-you’s. “But since I couldn’t, next year, OK?”

May her wish be granted, so she can participate in a medley like the many that made Sunday night’s CBS broadcast shine.

Arguably the best paired Mumford and Sons with the Avett Brothers and Bob Dylan.
Roots music reigned wonderfully supreme through the first act’s “Refresh My Broken Mind” and the second’s “Head Full of Doubts, Road Full of Promise.” Dylan jumped in with them both for his classic, “Maggie’s Farm,” with a hoarse voice full of squawks. But the men of today smiled widely performing with the timeless legend.

Music again brought together the generations, proved by teen Justin Bieber sounding good with tweener Jaden Smith and veteran R&B star Usher within a five-minute span.

Of course, the single-generation mash-ups were pretty cool, too, demonstrated best by the team of Bruno Mars, BoB and Jonelle Monae’s R&B/pop teamwork on “Beautiful Girl,” oh-so-soulful.

And the single-star turns, including Lady Gaga’s colorful debut of “Born This Way” that had her jump out of an egg and Lady Antebellum’s medley that took them from Teddy Pendergrass’ soul gem “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” to their own country hits “American Honey” and “Know You Now” were knock-outs, too.